Analyzing system, analyzing program and analyzing method

ABSTRACT

There is provided an analyzing system including a feature value calculation unit. The feature value calculation unit is configured to calculate, for each time range, a feature value indicating a feature of an amount of movement in a target video image in which a target of analysis is imaged over time.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to Japanese Priority PatentApplication JP 2013-027045 filed in the Japan Patent Office on Feb. 14,2013, and Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2013-184034 filed inthe Japan Patent Office on Sep. 5, 2013, the entire content of which ishereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to an analyzing system, an analyzingprogram and an analyzing method for analyzing a video image of a targetof analysis imaged over time.

With the creation of iPS cells (see, for reference, Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 2011-188860), significant progress has beenmade in the field of regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, cellengineering and the like. As a result, there is a growing demand forevaluation of the state of cells and evaluation of a drug's effect andimpact on cells. In particular, regarding nerve cells, a method formaking nerve cells out of embryonic stem cells such as iPS cells hasbeen established (see, for reference, Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open No. 2006-525210), and there is a demand for effective methodsfor analyzing nerve cells.

As a method for analyzing cells, the method of analyzing a video imageof the cells as a target of analysis imaged over time, and analyzing thecells based on information obtainable from that, has been studied. Forexample, an image processor which detects motion vectors in a videoimage containing some cells and evaluates the cooperativity of movementof the cells contained in the video image has been disclosed in JapanesePatent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-105631 (hereinafter referred to asPatent Document 1).

SUMMARY

However, the image processor as described in Patent Document 1 has beenconfigured to calculate one evaluation value from the video image, buthas not been able to evaluate the movement of the cells in the videoimage over time. The present inventors have newly found an analyticaltechnique which is capable of evaluating movement of a target ofanalysis over time, in a video image of the target of analysis such ascells imaged over time.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, it is desirable to providean analyzing system, an analyzing program and an analyzing methodcapable of evaluating movement of a target of analysis over time, from avideo image of the target of analysis imaged over time.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is providedan analyzing system including a feature value calculation unit.

The feature value calculation unit is configured to calculate, for eachtime range, a feature value indicating a feature of an amount ofmovement in a target video image in which a target of analysis is imagedover time.

The amount of movement (motion vector) in the target video image variesdepending on movement of the target of analysis contained in the targetvideo image. The feature value for each time range represents a featureof the amount of movement for that time range. Accordingly, it ispossible to evaluate temporal change of the amount of movement using thefeature value as an index, which enables the evaluation of motion of thetarget of analysis.

The analyzing system may further include a feature value display unitconfigured to visualize temporal change or spatial change of the featurevalue.

This configuration allows a user to use the visualized temporal changeor spatial change of the feature value, to thereby evaluate the movementof the target.

The analyzing system may include a feature value display unit configuredto visualize temporal change of the feature value and superimpose thevisualized temporal change of the feature value on the target videoimage to form a feature value-displaying video image.

The feature value-displaying video image displays the target video imageas well as the feature value varying with the target video image. Thisallows a user to observe the target video image by referring to thefeature of the amount of movement which is represented by the featurevalue.

The analyzing system may further include a range-specifying unitconfigured to specify a certain range of the target video image as acalculation range. The feature value calculation unit may calculate thefeature value for each calculation range.

With this configuration, the feature value may be calculated for eachcertain range (calculation range) of the target video image. This allowsevaluating the motion of the target of analysis for each of the ranges.The calculation range may be a range specified by a user, or may be arange of the target video image divided into a plurality of ranges.

The feature value may be at least one selected from the group consistingof mean value, maximum value, minimum value, standard deviation,variance, and variation coefficient of amounts or directions ofmovement; a frequency feature value; or a combination thereof.

Since each of the above-mentioned various feature values represents thefeature of the amount of movement, it is possible to evaluate the motionof the target of analysis using these feature values as an index.Incidentally, this may use one or more of these feature values. Asdifferent characteristics of the amount of movement are represented bydifferent kinds of feature values, it is possible to select anappropriate feature value depending on the motion of the target ofanalysis to evaluate.

The frequency feature value may be mean intensity, peak frequency ormean power frequency, obtained from a frequency domain analysis.

The above-mentioned various frequency feature values include informationrelated to frequencies of the amount of movement, which can be obtainedfrom a frequency domain analysis such as fast Fourier transform (FFT),wavelet transform, and maximum entropy method (MEM). Accordingly, byusing these feature values as an index, it is possible to evaluate themotion of the target of analysis in terms of frequencies of the amountof movement. Incidentally, this may use one or more of these featurevalues.

The target of analysis may be a nerve cell.

The movement (oscillation, etc.) of nerve cells is likely to beinfluenced by the kind of stimulus (inhibitory, excitatory, etc.) beingapplied to the nerve cells and by the state of the formation of neuronalnetworks. However, the movement of nerve cells is very small compared topulsation of cardiomyocytes and the like, and it demands higher accuracyin the analysis. As the analyzing system is able to evaluate the motionof the cells with high accuracy using the feature value as an index,nerve cells may be a suitable target of analysis using this analyzingsystem.

The analyzing system may further include an object region specifyingunit.

The object region specifying unit is configured to specify an analysisobject region in a still image included in the target video image. Theanalysis object region is a region where the target of analysis exists.

In this case, the feature value calculation unit may calculate thefeature value for the analysis object region in the target video image.

This configuration allows the feature value calculation unit tocalculate the feature value of only the region where the target ofanalysis (cells, etc.) exists, in the target video image. Since thisdoes not calculate the feature value of the regions where the target ofanalysis does not exist (intervals between the cells, etc.) in thetarget video image, the feature value calculation unit can calculate thefeature value at high speed and can also prevent generation of noise.

The feature value calculation unit may calculate the feature value inthe analysis object region using a movement-containing region. Themovement-containing region is a region that has a motion velocity equalto or greater than a threshold.

The movement-containing region is a region with the motion velocityequal to or greater than a certain threshold, that is, a part with alarge movement, of the target of analysis. Some targets of analysis mayhave a large movement in only a specific part thereof (for example,neurites in nerve cells). With the feature value calculation unitidentifying the movement-containing region, it is able to extract themotion of the part having a large movement and analyze the motion.

The feature value calculation unit may calculate, as the feature value,a ratio of the movement-containing region to the analysis object region.

The ratio of the movement-containing region indicates how much of theanalysis object region is the movement-containing region, and thisrepresents a tendency of movement in the target of analysis. Thisenables one to determine that, for example, in cases where the ratio ofthe movement-containing region is large, the whole target of analysis(cells, etc.) is oscillating; and in cases where the ratio of themovement-containing region is small, a specific part of the target ofanalysis is oscillating.

The feature value calculation unit may calculate, as the feature value,a mean value of motion velocities of the analysis object region.

The mean value of the motion velocities of the analysis object regionrepresents overall movement of the target of analysis. By averaging themotion velocities of the region limited to the analysis object region,it can avoid averaging the motion velocities of the regions where thetarget of analysis does not exist (intervals between the cells, etc.).

The feature value calculation unit may calculate, as the feature value,a mean value of motion velocities of the movement-containing region.

The mean value of motion velocities of the movement-containing regionrepresents the motion velocity of some moving parts of the target ofanalysis. For example, in cases where only a specific part in the targetof analysis is vigorously oscillating, this enables one to determine themotion velocity of this specific part alone. If a mean value of themotion velocities of the whole target of analysis was to be calculated,the motion velocities of some parts without oscillation would beaveraged with it. In contrast to this, the above-mentioned configurationis capable of analyzing in such cases.

The feature value calculation unit may calculate, as a frequency featurevalue, an area of a predetermined frequency band of a power spectraldensity obtained from a frequency domain analysis of the amount ofmovement.

With this configuration, since the data of the oscillation at apredetermined frequency band is extracted as the feature value, it ispossible to analyze the frequency band which is limited to that of apoint of interest in the target of analysis (for example, neurites innerve cells). In other words, oscillations other than that of thefrequency band of interest are able to be omitted from the target to beanalyzed, and as a result, even in cases where the target of analysishas some oscillations at a plurality of frequencies, the analysis caneffectively be performed.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there isprovided an analyzing program which causes a computer to function as afeature value calculation unit.

The feature value calculation unit is configured to calculate, for eachtime range, a feature value indicating a feature of an amount ofmovement in a target video image in which a target of analysis is imagedover time.

According to still another embodiment of the present disclosure, thereis provided an analyzing method which includes calculating, for eachtime range, a feature value indicating a feature of an amount ofmovement in a target video image in which a target of analysis is imagedover time.

As described above, the embodiments of the present disclosure make itpossible to provide an analyzing system, an analyzing program and ananalyzing method capable of evaluating movement of a target of analysisover time, from a video image of the target of analysis imaged overtime.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentdisclosure will become more apparent in light of the following detaileddescription of best mode embodiments thereof, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will beapparent from the following Detailed Description and the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an analyzingsystem according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the analyzing system;

FIG. 3 shows an example of a target video image that a video imageacquisition unit of the analyzing system obtains;

FIG. 4 shows an example of calculation ranges that the range-specifyingunit of the analyzing system specifies;

FIG. 5 shows an example of a time-motion waveform calculated by afeature value calculation unit of the analyzing system;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a method for calculating a featurevalue by the feature value calculation unit of the analyzing system;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a power spectral densitycalculated by the feature value calculation unit of the analyzingsystem;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing generation of a featurevalue-displaying video image by a feature value display unit of theanalyzing system;

FIGS. 9A to 9C show an example of the feature value-displaying videoimage generated by the feature value display unit of the analyzingsystem;

FIGS. 10A and 10B show an example of frequency characteristics for eachtime-window, displayed by the feature value display unit of theanalyzing system;

FIG. 11 shows an example of a feature value table displayed by thefeature value display unit of the analyzing system;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an analyzingsystem according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an operation of the analyzing system;

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an analysis object regionspecified by an object region specifying unit of the analyzing system;

FIG. 15 shows an example of the analysis object region specified by theobject region specifying unit of the analyzing system;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing motion velocities that a motiondetection unit of the analyzing system detects from the analysis objectregion;

FIG. 17 is an example of a movement-containing region detected by themotion detection unit of the analyzing system;

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing a power spectral densitycalculated by a feature value calculation unit of the analyzing system;

FIGS. 19A to 19C show an example which indicates feature valuescalculated by a feature value calculation unit of the analyzing system;

FIG. 20 shows an example of the feature value-displaying video imagegenerated by the feature value display unit of the analyzing system;

FIG. 21 shows an example of a feature value table displayed by thefeature value display unit of the analyzing system;

FIG. 22 shows an example of a feature value graph displayed by thefeature value display unit of the analyzing system;

FIG. 23 shows an example of a feature value graph displayed by thefeature value display unit of the analyzing system;

FIG. 24 shows an example of an interface for selecting feature valuesdisplayed by the feature value display unit of the analyzing system; and

FIG. 25 shows an example of an interface for selecting feature valuesdisplayed by the feature value display unit of the analyzing system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment

An analyzing system according to a first embodiment of the presentdisclosure will be described.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an analyzingsystem 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing anoperation of the analyzing system 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the analyzingsystem 100 includes a video image acquisition unit 101, a motiondetection unit 102, a range-specifying unit 103, a feature valuecalculation unit 104 and a feature value display unit 105. The analyzingsystem 100 may have a functional configuration realized by aninformation processor. It may be realized by a single informationprocessor or a plurality of information processors connected via anetwork.

The video image acquisition unit 101 obtains a “target video image”which is a video image to analyze. A nonlimiting example of “targetvideo image” is a video image of a cell or a group of cells as a targetof analysis being imaged over time. The video image may include a videoimage made up of a plurality of frames continuously imaged, or stillimages from time-lapse imaging. The target video image may be obtainedat a rate set appropriately depending on the target of analysis. Incases where the target of analysis is nerve cells, the rate may be 50fps(frame/sec) or lower, and may be, for example, 1 fpm(frame/min). Incases where the target of analysis is cardiomyocytes, the rate may be150 fps or more.

The target video image may be a video image obtained by imaging usingany of various optical imaging methods such as bright-field imaging,dark-field imaging, phase difference imaging, fluorescence imaging,confocal imaging, multiphoton excitation fluorescence imaging, absorbedlight imaging and scattered light imaging.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the target video image which is a video imagecontaining a plurality of nerve cells. The video image acquisition unit101 may obtain the target video image from an imaging apparatus(microscopic imaging apparatus) (not shown in the drawing), or, it mayobtain as the target video image a video image stored in storage or avideo image provided from a network. At this time, the video imageacquisition unit 101 may obtain the target video image by sampling, at apredetermined period depending on type of the target of analysis, fromthe video images which have been imaged in advance. The video imageacquisition unit 101 provides the obtained target video image to themotion detection unit 102.

The motion detection unit 102 detects an “amount of movement” (motionvector) in the target video image (FIG. 2, St101). The amount ofmovement may include amounts and directions of movement over time, ofeach pixel or group of pixels corresponding with one another betweensome frames included in the target video image. The amount of movementcan be detected by an image-processing technique such as block matching.The motion detection unit 102 provides the detected amount of movementto the range-specifying unit 103.

The range-specifying unit 103 specifies a “calculation range” in thetarget video image. The calculation range is a range for calculating afeature value, which will be described later, in the target video image.One or more calculation ranges may be provided. FIG. 4 shows an exampleof calculation ranges specified in the target video image. Each rangesectioned by the white lines is the calculation range.

The range-specifying unit 103 may specify as the calculation range arange instructed by a user, or may specify a predetermined range as thecalculation range. The predetermined range may be, for example, as shownin FIG. 4, the ranges of the target video image being divided into manyparts (for example, 10×10). The range-specifying unit 103 may alsospecify the whole part of the target video image as the calculationrange. The range-specifying unit 103 provides the calculation range, andthe amount of movement for each calculation range, to the feature valuecalculation unit 104.

The feature value calculation unit 104 calculates a “feature value” foreach calculation range (FIG. 2, St102). The feature value is a valueindicating a feature of the amount of movement for each time range, inthe target video image. The time range may be a constant time range or avariable time range. As a specific example, the feature valuecalculation unit 104 calculates, from the amount of movement for eachcalculation range, a time-motion waveform which represents a temporalchange of the amount of movement. FIG. 5 is an example of thetime-motion waveform where the abscissa (frame) represents the frame ofthe target video image and the ordinate (motion) represents the amountof movement.

The feature value calculation unit 104 may calculate the feature valueby using the time-motion waveform. Specific examples of the featurevalues include a pulsating area (area of the cells), and mean value,maximum value, minimum value, standard deviation, variance, andvariation coefficient of amounts or directions of movement. The featurevalue calculation unit 104 continuously calculates the feature valuewhile moving the time range to calculate the feature value in thetime-motion waveform. The time range to calculate the feature value maybe set appropriately depending on type of the feature value, motion ofthe target of analysis, or the like.

Further, the feature value may include a “frequency feature value”. Thefeature value calculation unit 104 may calculate the frequency featurevalue by performing a frequency domain analysis of the time-motionwaveform. FIG. 6 is a figure showing a method for calculating thefeature value by the feature value calculation unit 104. The featurevalue calculation unit 104, after pre-processing such as removing DC(direct current) component and performing fitting in advance, may set atime-window (window) in the time-motion waveform as shown in FIG. 6.

The feature value calculation unit 104 performs fast Fourier transform(FFT) analysis of the waveform within the time-window while moving thetime-window (FIG. 2, St103) and calculates a power spectral density(PSD) from the result of the analysis. FIG. 7 shows an example of thepower spectral density.

The feature value calculation unit 104 may calculate mean intensity,peak frequency, mean power frequency (MPF) or the like, which can beobtained from the frequency domain analysis, as the frequency featurevalue (FIG. 2, St104). Examples of the frequency domain analysis includevarious frequency domain analysis techniques such as fast Fouriertransform (FFT), wavelet transform, and maximum entropy method (MEM).Incidentally, MPF is a frequency which would divide the power spectraldensity into two parts of equal area. FIG. 7 shows the MPF at which thearea A and the area B are equal. The feature value calculation unit 104provides the calculated feature to the feature value display unit 105.It should be noted that the feature value calculation unit 104 may alsocalculate a plurality of kinds of feature values for the same timerange.

The feature value display unit 105 visualizes temporal change or spatialchange of the feature value. As a specific example, the feature valuedisplay unit 105 may visualize the feature value and superimposes thevisualized feature value on the target video image to form a featurevalue-displaying video image (FIG. 2, St105). FIG. 8 is a schematicdiagram showing how to generate the feature value-displaying videoimage. The feature value display unit 105 can visualize the featurevalue by applying coloring, or shading, in accordance with the magnitudeof the feature value, to each position that corresponds to thecalculation range where the feature value has been calculated. Thefeature value display unit 105 superimposes the visualized feature valueto the frame of the target video image that corresponds to the timerange where the feature value has been calculated, and generates thefeature value-displaying video image.

The feature value-displaying video image shown in FIG. 8 is an examplein which the MPF is calculated for each calculation range of the targetvideo image being divided into 100 parts (see FIG. 4), and issuperimposed to the target video image. The feature value display unit105 may be configured to provide the generated feature value-displayingvideo image to a display, thereby allowing it to display the featurevalue-displaying video image. This allows a user to observe the targetvideo image by referring to the feature of the amount of movement whichis represented by the feature value.

The feature value display unit 105 may generate the featurevalue-displaying video image by superimposing various feature valuesother than the MPF as well. FIGS. 9A to 9C show an example of thefeature value-displaying video image obtained by superimposing a varietyof feature values to the target video image. The feature values whichare superimposed in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C, respectively, are mean valueof the amounts of movement, variance of the amounts of movement, and MPF(frequency). As shown in these figures, different characteristics can beobserved with different kinds of feature values. This allows one toobserve, for example, the characteristics such that the variance of theamounts of movement is relatively large in the vicinity of a cellprocess and that the frequency is relatively low in a cell body.

In addition, the feature value display unit 105 may allow frequencycharacteristics for each time-window mentioned above to be displayed, tovisualize spatial change of the feature value (FIG. 2, St106). FIGS. 10Aand 10B show an example of the frequency characteristics for each timewindow. FIG. 10A shows the frequency characteristics of nerve cellsderived from iPS, treated with GABA. FIG. 10B shows the frequencycharacteristics of the nerve cells treated with glutamic acid.

GABA is a biologically active substance which functions as an inhibitorystimulus to nerve cells, and the nerve cells treated with GABA wouldshow a motion with a low frequency (oscillation). Glutamic acid is abiologically active substance which functions as an excitatory stimulusto nerve cells, and the nerve cells treated with GABA would show amotion with a high frequency. In the frequency characteristics shown inFIG. 10A, the motion with the low frequency was activated, whichindicates that the effect of GABA on nerve cells would be detectable.

Further, the feature value display unit 105 may display the featurevalue calculated by the feature value calculation unit 104 in a table orgraph (FIG. 2, St107). FIG. 11 is an example of a table showing thefeature values. The displayed table or graph of the feature values, asshown in the figure, would make it easier for a user to know the valueand trends of the feature values.

The analyzing system 100 according to this embodiment is configured asdescribed above. The analyzing system 100 enables the evaluation ofmotion of the target of analysis in the target video image, using thefeature value. More specifically, the analyzing system 100 may be usedin evaluation of effects of biologically active substances,effectiveness of drugs, evaluation of toxicity, quality control of nervecells, evaluation of differentiation state of nerve cells,identification of abnormal cells and regions having abnormal networks,evaluation of pathological conditions by evaluating the cells derivedfrom the pathological conditions, and the like.

The target of analysis by the analyzing system 100 is not specificallylimited. Examples of suitable targets of analysis by the analyzingsystem 100 include nerve cells. The movement (oscillation, etc.) ofnerve cells is likely to be influenced by the kind of stimulus(inhibitory, excitatory, etc.) being applied to the nerve cells and bythe state of the formation of neuronal networks. However, the movementof nerve cells is very small compared to pulsation of cardiomyocytes andthe like, and it demands higher accuracy in the analysis. As theanalyzing system 100 is able to evaluate the motion of the cells withhigh accuracy using the feature value as an index, nerve cells can be asuitable target of analysis using this analyzing system.

Second Embodiment

An analyzing system according to a second embodiment of the presentdisclosure will be described.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an analyzingsystem 200 according to the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showingan operation of the analyzing system 200. As shown in FIG. 12, theanalyzing system 200 includes a video image acquisition unit 201, anobject region specifying unit 202, a motion detection unit 203, afeature value calculation unit 204 and a feature value display unit 205.The analyzing system 200 may have a functional configuration realized byan information processor. It may be realized by a single informationprocessor or a plurality of information processors connected via anetwork.

The video image acquisition unit 201 obtains a “target video image”which is a video image to analyze. A nonlimiting example of “targetvideo image” is a video image of a cell or a group of cells as a targetof analysis being imaged over time. The video image may include a videoimage made up of a plurality of frames continuously imaged, or stillimages from time-lapse imaging. The target video image may be obtainedat a rate set appropriately depending on the target of analysis. Incases where the target of analysis is nerve cells, the rate may be 50fps(frame/sec) or lower, and may be, for example, 1 fpm(frame/min). Incases where the target of analysis is cardiomyocytes, the rate may be150 fps or more.

The target video image may be a video image obtained by imaging usingany of various optical imaging methods such as bright-field imaging,dark-field imaging, phase difference imaging, fluorescence imaging,confocal imaging, multiphoton excitation fluorescence imaging, absorbedlight imaging and scattered light imaging (see FIG. 3).

The video image acquisition unit 201 may obtain the target video imagefrom an imaging apparatus (microscopic imaging apparatus) (not shown inthe drawing), or, it may obtain as the target video image a video imagestored in storage or a video image provided from a network. At thistime, the video image acquisition unit 201 may obtain the target videoimage by sampling, at a predetermined period depending on type of thetarget of analysis, from the video images which have been imaged inadvance. The video image acquisition unit 201 provides the obtainedtarget video image to the object region specifying unit 202.

The object region specifying unit 202 specifies, in a still imageincluded in the target video image (hereinafter referred to as a “targetstill image”), an “analysis object region” (FIG. 13, St201). The targetstill image may be the first frame of the target video image, or may beany frame. In addition, the target still image may be a frame extractedfrom the target video image at each predetermined time period. Theanalysis object region is a region where the target of analysis existsin the field of view of the target still image, which may be, forexample, a region containing some cells.

The object region specifying unit 202 performs image processing on thetarget still image and specifies the analysis object region. FIG. 14 isa figure showing schematically the analysis object region in the targetstill image. In the figure, each section D indicates a specific unit ofthe analysis object region, which unit may be a range including one ormore pixels of the target still image. The sections D indicated byoblique lines are the sections specified by the object region specifyingunit 202 as sections where the target of analysis exists, which will bereferred to as analysis object sections D1. A set of analysis objectsections D1 is the analysis object region. FIG. 15 shows an example ofthe analysis object region specified in the target still image. Thewhite areas are the analysis object region.

The object region specifying unit 202 may specify the analysis objectregion by detection by dynamic ranges, matching or other imageprocessing. At this time, the object region specifying unit 202 mayselect the target of analysis to detect as the analysis object region bythe threshold. For example, it may select whether to detect cell bodiesor neurites of nerve cells, or both of them.

The motion detection unit 203 detects an “amount of movement” (motionvector) in the target video image (FIG. 13, St202). The amount ofmovement may include amounts and directions of movement over time, ofeach pixel or group of pixels corresponding with one another betweensome frames included in the target video image. The amount of movementcan be detected by an image-processing technique such as block matching.

At this time, the motion detection unit 203 detects the amount ofmovement in the analysis object region (the set of analysis objectsections D1) specified by the object region specifying unit 202.Specifically, the motion detection unit 203 detects the amount ofmovement in the target video image from one frame of target still imageto the next frame of target still image, for each analysis objectsection D1 included in the analysis object region. The motion detectionunit 203 is capable of converting the amount of movement of eachanalysis object section D1 into a motion velocity.

FIG. 16 is a figure showing schematically the motion velocities of thetarget video image, which represents the motion velocities detected fromthe respective analysis object sections D1 by numerical values. Amongthe analysis object sections D1, the sections in which the motionvelocity is equal to or greater than a certain value (“1” in this case)will be referred to as motion-detected sections D2. A set ofmotion-detected sections D2 is a movement-containing region. FIG. 17 isan example of the movement-containing region in the target video image.The movement-containing region is represented by the white areas.

As shown in FIG. 16, in the sections D that have not been specified asthe analysis object sections D1 in the target still image (see FIG. 14),the amount of movement would not be detected. Therefore, in the regionwhere the target of analysis does not exist (intervals between thecells, etc.) in the field of view of the target video image, the amountof movement would be not detected, and this makes it possible to detectthe amount of movement feature value at high speed and also preventgeneration of noise. The motion detection unit 203 provides the analysisobject region, the movement-containing region and the amount ofmovement, to the feature value calculation unit 204.

The feature value calculation unit 204 calculates a “feature value” forthe movement-containing region (FIG. 13, St203). The feature value is avalue indicating a feature of the amount of movement for each timerange, in the target video image. The time range may be a constant timerange or a variable time range.

The feature value calculation unit 204 may calculate a “ratio of themovement-containing region” as the feature value. The ratio of themovement-containing region means the ratio of the movement-containingregion to the analysis object region, which may be, for example, theratio of the motion-detected sections D2 to the analysis object sectionsD1. The ratio of the movement-containing region makes it possible todetermine how much of the region that has been determined to have thetarget of analysis (analysis object region) is the region in which themovement has occurred (movement-containing region). This enables one todetermine that, for example, in cases where the ratio of themovement-containing region is large, the whole target of analysis(cells, etc.) is oscillating; and in cases where the ratio of themovement-containing region is small, a specific part of the target ofanalysis is oscillating.

In addition, the feature value calculation unit 204 may calculate an“analysis object region velocity” as the feature value. The analysisobject region velocity is a mean value of motion velocities of theanalysis object region, which can be calculated by averaging the motionvelocities of the respective sections D1 (including the motion-detectedsections D2). The analysis object region velocity is a mean value of themotion velocities of the whole target of analysis, which enables one todetermine overall motion velocity of the target of analysis. Byaveraging the motion velocities of the region limited to the analysisobject region, it can avoid averaging the motion velocities of theregions where the target of analysis does not exist (intervals betweenthe cells, etc.).

The feature value calculation unit 204 may calculate a“movement-containing region velocity” as the feature value. Themovement-containing region velocity is a mean value of motion velocitiesof the movement-containing region, which can be calculated by averagingthe motion velocities of the respective motion-detected sections D2. Themovement-containing region velocity is a mean value of the motionvelocity of the moving parts of the target of analysis. For example, incases where only a specific part in the target of analysis is vigorouslyoscillating, the movement-containing region velocity enables one todetermine the motion velocity of this specific part alone. If a meanvalue of the motion velocities of the whole target of analysis was to becalculated, the motion velocities of the parts without movement would beaveraged with it. In view of this, the movement-containing regionvelocity may be useful especially in cases where only a specific part ofthe target of analysis is moving.

Further, the feature value calculation unit 204 may calculate a“frequency feature value” as the feature value. The feature valuecalculation unit 204 may calculate the frequency feature value bycalculating a time-motion waveform (see FIG. 5) as in the firstembodiment and performing a frequency domain analysis of the time-motionwaveform.

The feature value calculation unit 204 performs fast Fourier transform(FFT) analysis of the waveform within the time-window while moving thetime-window (FIG. 13, St204) and calculates a power spectral density(PSD) from the result of the analysis. FIG. 18 shows an example of thepower spectral density.

As shown in the figure, the feature value calculation unit 204 maycalculate an area of a predetermined frequency band of the powerspectral density (“PSD area”) as the frequency feature value. Thefrequency band to calculate the PSD area may be set appropriatelydepending on the frequency of the oscillation to observe, and may be,for example, from 0 to 0.1 Hz or less.

FIGS. 19A to 19C show an example of the PSD areas being mapped, whichshow a process of cell death in a nerve cell. FIGS. 19A, 19B, and 19Care the PSD areas of from 0 to 0.1 Hz, which are, respectively at thestart time of the analysis, 0.75 hours later, and 6 hours later. In thefigure, the white areas are the regions having large values of PSD areaand the black areas are the regions having small values of PSD area.While the entire cell shows a relatively large oscillation of from 0 to0.1 Hz in FIG. 19A, the oscillation of this frequency band is large inthe neurites and the oscillation of this frequency band is small in thecell body in FIG. 19B. In FIG. 19C, the oscillation of this frequencyband is also stopped in the neurites.

Thus, with the feature value calculation unit 204 calculating the PSDarea of the predetermined frequency band, it is possible to extract,from the oscillation of the target of analysis, the oscillation at onlya frequency band of interest. It is able to omit from the analysis theoscillations of the different frequencies which are unrelated.

In the same manner as in the first embodiment, the feature valuecalculation unit 204 may calculate mean intensity, peak frequency, meanpower frequency (MPF) or the like, which can be obtained from thefrequency domain analysis, as the frequency feature value (FIG. 13,St205). Examples of the frequency domain analysis include variousfrequency domain analysis techniques such as fast Fourier transform(FFT), wavelet transform, and maximum entropy method (MEM). The featurevalue calculation unit 204 provides the calculated feature to thefeature value display unit 205. It should be noted that the featurevalue calculation unit 204 may also calculate a plurality of kinds offeature values for the same time range.

The feature value display unit 205 visualizes temporal change or spatialchange of the feature value. As a specific example, the feature valuedisplay unit 205 may visualize the feature value and superimposes thevisualized feature value on the target video image to form a featurevalue-displaying video image (FIG. 13, St206). In the same manner as inthe first embodiment, the feature value display unit 205 can visualizethe feature value by applying coloring, or shading, in accordance withthe magnitude of the feature value, to each position that corresponds tothe calculation range where the feature value has been calculated. Thefeature value display unit 205 superimposes the visualized feature valueto the frame of the target video image that corresponds to the timerange where the feature value has been calculated, and generates thefeature value-displaying video image.

FIG. 20 shows an example of the feature value-displaying video imageobtained by superimposing the above-mentioned movement-containing regionto the target video image. As shown in the figure, the feature valuedisplay unit 205 may provide the feature value-displaying video image byapplying coloring and shading in accordance with the magnitude of themotion velocity (see FIG. 17). Further, the feature value display unit205 may generate the feature value-displaying video image by usingvarious feature values such as PSD area as shown in FIGS. 19A to 19C,mean value of the amounts of movement, variance of the amounts ofmovement and MPF as well (see FIGS. 9A to 9C). In addition, the featurevalue display unit 205 may allow frequency characteristics for eachtime-window mentioned above to be displayed, to visualize spatial changeof the feature value (FIG. 13, St207).

Further, the feature value display unit 205 may display the featurevalue calculated by the feature value calculation unit 204 in a table orgraph (FIG. 13, St208). FIGS. 21 to 23 are examples of display modes ofthe feature values displayed by the feature value display unit 205. FIG.24 shows an interface for selecting feature values to display by thefeature value display unit 205. FIG. 25 shows an interface for selectingROI (Region of Interest, white frames in the figure) in which thefeature value would be displayed. The feature value display unit 205 maybe configured to display the target of analysis and the feature value asinstructed by the interfaces shown in FIGS. 24 and 25. In addition, thefeature value display unit 205 may also automatically select the ROI byusing the above-mentioned analysis object region, movement-containingregion, variety of feature values, or the like.

The analyzing system 200 according to this embodiment is configured asdescribed above. The analyzing system 200 enables the evaluation ofmotion of the target of analysis in the target video image, using thefeature value. More specifically, the analyzing system 200 may be usedin evaluation of effects of biologically active substances,effectiveness of drugs, evaluation of toxicity, quality control of nervecells, evaluation of differentiation state of nerve cells,identification of abnormal cells and regions having abnormal networks,evaluation of pathological conditions by evaluating the cells derivedfrom the pathological conditions, and the like.

The target of analysis by the analyzing system 200 is not specificallylimited. Examples of suitable targets of analysis by the analyzingsystem 200 include nerve cells. The movement (oscillation, etc.) ofnerve cells is likely to be influenced by the kind of stimulus(inhibitory, excitatory, etc.) being applied to the nerve cells and bythe state of the formation of neuronal networks. However, the movementof nerve cells is very small compared to pulsation of cardiomyocytes andthe like, and it demands higher accuracy in the analysis. As theanalyzing system 200 is able to evaluate the motion of the cells withhigh accuracy using the feature value as an index, nerve cells can be asuitable target of analysis using this analyzing system.

In addition, this embodiment extracts as the analysis object region theregion where the target of analysis exists in the target video image andperforms the analysis of the amount of movement and the calculation ofthe feature value for the analysis object region. In nerve cells, theirparts which may oscillate are relatively local compared to those ofother cells such as cardiomyocytes, and they can be effectively analyzedusing the analysis object region of the analyzing system 200 accordingto this embodiment. Further, since the analyzing system 200 uses thearea of the specific frequency band of the power spectral density in theanalysis, it is able to extract from neurites and cell bodies of nervecells, or the like, respective oscillations of different frequencies. Inthis respect, it is suitable for the analysis of nerve cells.

The present disclosure is not limited to each of the foregoingembodiments but can be modified within the scope without departing fromthe gist of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure may employ the following configurations.

-   (1) An analyzing system including:

a feature value calculation unit configured to calculate, for each timerange, a feature value indicating a feature of an amount of movement ina target video image in which a target of analysis is imaged over time.

-   (2) The analyzing system according to (1), further including:

a feature value display unit configured to visualize temporal change orspatial change of the feature value.

-   (3) The analyzing system according to (2), in which

the feature value display unit is configured to visualize temporalchange of the feature value and superimpose the visualized temporalchange of the feature value on the target video image to form a featurevalue-displaying video image.

-   (4) The analyzing system according to any one of (1) to (3), further    including:

a range-specifying unit configured to specify a certain range of thetarget video image as a calculation range;

the feature value calculation unit being configured to calculate thefeature value for each calculation range.

-   (5) The analyzing system according to any one of (1) to (4), in    which

the feature value is any one selected from the group consisting of meanvalue, maximum value, minimum value, standard deviation, variance, andvariation coefficient of amounts or directions of movement; a frequencyfeature value; or a combination thereof.

-   (6) The analyzing system according to any one of (1) to (5), in    which the frequency feature value is mean intensity, peak frequency    or mean power frequency, obtained from a frequency domain analysis.-   (7) The analyzing system according to any one of (1) to (6), which-   analyzes a nerve cell as the target of analysis.-   (8) The analyzing system according to any one of (1) to (7), further    including:

an object region specifying unit configured to specify, in a still imageincluded in the target video image, an analysis object region which is aregion where the target of analysis exists;

the feature value calculation unit being configured to calculate thefeature value for the analysis object region in the target video image.

-   (9) The analyzing system according to (8), in which

the feature value calculation unit is configured to calculate thefeature value in the analysis object region using a movement-containingregion which is a region that has a motion velocity equal to or greaterthan a threshold.

-   (10) The analyzing system according to (9), in which

the feature value calculation unit is configured to calculate, as thefeature value, a ratio of the movement-containing region to the analysisobject region.

-   (11) The analyzing system according to (9) or (10), in which

the feature value calculation unit is configured to calculate, as thefeature value, a mean value of motion velocities of the analysis objectregion.

-   (12) The analyzing system according to any one of (9) to (11), in    which the feature value calculation unit is configured to calculate,    as the feature value, a mean value of motion velocities of the    movement-containing region.-   (13) The analyzing system according to any one of (1) to (12), in    which

the feature value calculation unit is configured to calculate, as afrequency feature value, an area of a predetermined frequency band of apower spectral density obtained from a frequency domain analysis of theamount of movement.

-   (14) An analyzing program which causes a computer to function as:

a feature value calculation unit configured to calculate, for each timerange, a feature value indicating a feature of an amount of movement ina target video image in which a target of analysis is imaged over time.

-   (15) An analyzing method including:

calculating, for each time range, a feature value indicating a featureof an amount of movement in a target video image in which a target ofanalysis is imaged over time.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to thepresently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present subjectmatter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is thereforeintended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appendedclaims.

The invention is claimed as follows:
 1. An analyzing system comprising:a feature value calculation unit configured to calculate, for each timerange, a feature value indicating a feature of an amount of movement ina target video image in which a target of analysis is imaged over time.2. The analyzing system according to claim 1, further comprising: afeature value display unit configured to visualize temporal change orspatial change of the feature value.
 3. The analyzing system accordingto claim 2, in which the feature value display unit is configured tovisualize temporal change of the feature value and superimpose thevisualized temporal change of the feature value on the target videoimage to form a feature value-displaying video image.
 4. The analyzingsystem according to claim 1, further comprising: a range-specifying unitconfigured to specify a certain range of the target video image as acalculation range; the feature value calculation unit being configuredto calculate the feature value for each calculation range.
 5. Theanalyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the feature value is anyone selected from the group consisting of mean value, maximum value,minimum value, standard deviation, variance, and variation coefficientof amounts or directions of movement; frequency feature value; or acombination thereof.
 6. The analyzing system according to claim 5,wherein the frequency feature value is mean intensity, peak frequency ormean power frequency, obtained from a frequency domain analysis.
 7. Theanalyzing system according to claim 1, which analyzes a nerve cell asthe target of analysis.
 8. The analyzing system according to claim 1,further comprising: an object region specifying unit configured tospecify, in a still image included in the target video image, ananalysis object region which is a region where the target of analysisexists; the feature value calculation unit being configured to calculatethe feature value for the analysis object region in the target videoimage.
 9. The analyzing system according to claim 8, wherein the featurevalue calculation unit is configured to calculate the feature value inthe analysis object region using a movement-containing region which is aregion that has a motion velocity equal to or greater than a threshold.10. The analyzing system according to claim 9, wherein the feature valuecalculation unit is configured to calculate, as the feature value, aratio of the movement-containing region to the analysis object region.11. The analyzing system according to claim 9, wherein the feature valuecalculation unit is configured to calculate, as the feature value, amean value of motion velocities of the analysis object region.
 12. Theanalyzing system according to claim 9, wherein the feature valuecalculation unit is configured to calculate, as the feature value, amean value of motion velocities of the movement-containing region. 13.The analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the feature valuecalculation unit is configured to calculate, as a frequency featurevalue, an area of a predetermined frequency band of a power spectraldensity obtained from a frequency domain analysis of the amount ofmovement.
 14. An analyzing program which causes a computer to functionas: a feature value calculation unit configured to calculate, for eachtime range, a feature value indicating a feature of an amount ofmovement in a target video image in which a target of analysis is imagedover time.
 15. An analyzing method comprising: calculating, for eachtime range, a feature value indicating a feature of an amount ofmovement in a target video image in which a target of analysis is imagedover time.